SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS: Living Under a Rock

setenil

setenil

setenil

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sol

sol

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flickr

flickr

Setenil de las Bodegas ia a small Spanish town which features houses dug into a mountain with the cliff itself being the roof. The big piece of stone looks like it could come tumbling down on tens of houses .This town of surprising and original beauty is a great tourist attraction.

Setenil was one of the most costly conquests for the Christian troop. They were able to take all the surrounding fortresses but not this one. Seven times they tried and seven times had to give up the idea, which is how it got the name “September nihil”. The wine business arrived later, although today there are only private wineries. One of the best ways to get to know this town is to wander through its nooks and corners sampling the Tapas.

Sentenil is incredible and unusual, justifying a slow and restful visit that allows one to contemplate its marvels.

www.spain-map.com

ART HANGING FROM A THREAD

Unravelling Devorah Sperber art

New York artist, Devorah Sperber is interested in the links between art, science, and technology through the ages. Sperber deconstructs familiar images to address the way the brain processes visual information versus the way we think we see. She uses ordinary spools of thread to create amazing inverted and pixelated images of famous artworks.

The thread spools works are hung upside down in reference to the fact that the lens of the eye projects an inverted image of the world onto the retina, which is corrected by the brain. A clear acrylic sphere, positioned in front of each work, functions like the human eye and brain, not only inverting but also focusing the image so that it appears as a sharp, faithful, right-side-up reproduction of the famous painting.

I must say, I don't actually care about the metaphors behind her art, her work is mind-boggling! Not only is it upside down, it's made out of spools of thread! I mean come on! It's exhillirating that artists today still have the creativity to blow our minds. This reminds me of some of my earlier posts on interesting art and artists:

THE WORLD'S FIRST UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK
BARCELO'S CONTROVERSIAL CEILING ARTWORK
BRIAN DETTMER'S UNBELIEVABLE BOOK AUTOPSIES
MIKE STILKEY'S BOOK ART
FACINATING BALOON ART
SAIMIR STRATI'S EXTRAORDINARY MURALS

OSAKA'S CAPSULE INN

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Maurizio


ketj


ketj

The first capsule hotel was the Capsule Inn Osaka, designed by Kisho Kurokawa and located in the Umeda district of Osaka. It opened on February 1, 1979 and the initial room rate was ¥1,600.

A capsule hotel is a hotel system for countries with extremely dense populations. The rooms or ‘capsules’ are approximately 2 m x 1 m x 1,25 m providing just enough space to sleep. These capsules are stacked side by side and on top of each other, with steps providing access to the second level rooms. Luggage is stored outside in lockers. The capsules has either a curtain or a fibre-glass door to insure enough privacy. The washrooms are communal.

These capsule hotels vary widely in size, some having only fifty or so capsules and others over 700. Many are used primarily by men. But there are also capsule hotels with separate male and female sleeping quarters. Clothes and shoes are sometimes exchanged for slippers on entry. A towel may also be provided. The benefit of these hotels is convenience and price.

Most roomers are businessmen too tired or far away to make the trip home. Others (especially on weekdays) are too inebriated to safely travel to their homes.

This style of hotel accommodation was developed in Japan and has not gained popularity outside of the country, although Western variants with larger accommodations and often private baths are being developed.

Read more:
wikipedia.org